Fighting Fate

Blame and Books

I was still pacing. It had been over an hour now, Ben was talking intently to someone over the phone in the kitchen. I heard him hang up and walk into the lounge. My stride didn't falter and I didn't glance his way.

"Carrie."

I didn't reply.

"Carrie."

I kept going, trying to block his voice out, frantically trying to plan as I paced.

"Carrie!"

His hands were heavy on my shoulders, keeping me in place and forcing me to acknowledge him.

"What!?" I demanded.

"Calm down."

Slowly, calmly my eyes met his. Like a predator making eye contact with prey.

"What did you just say to me?"

He kept his gaze steady and meaningful.

"Calm down."

My fist clenched and I swung at his jaw, anger fuelling the contact. I began punching at his chest,

"My sister is missing! Kidnapped! God knows where! I am not going to fucking calm down."

He began blocking some of my attacks and I began kicking at his sides.

"And you," I spat out the words like poison, you weren't there to help, because you were out searching for me. Weren't you?"

He gripped my wrists, "weren't you!?" I yelled, trying to knee him.

In one quick motion, he swung us around so that his chest pressed against my back while his hand covered my mouth and his other arm wrapped around me.

"Yes. Yes, Carrie, I was looking for you."

I struggled and fought frantically, his hand muffling my curses until my energy began to deplete.

Eventually, I stilled and very slowly his hand moved away from my mouth and fell to his side. My head rested against his chest and I closed my eyes, exhausted.

"I'm sorry. It's not your fault they took her."

I felt Ben nod and his other arm slid away, freeing me. I stepped away and turned around to look at him.

"So, what do we do now? "

"Now, we go to the library."

My eyes grew wide,

"My sister just got kidnapped and you want to catch up on some light reading? Screw you, I swear to think that,"

He shook his head and held out a hand, effectively cutting me off.

"I know someone who is a master of supernatural history, the pack that has your sister wants something called a Valdarian do you have any idea what that is? "

I shook my head.  "No."

"Exactly, I think we should find out what these bastards want and why they think we have it."

I growled,

"Or we just haunt them down and kill them. Every second we waste is another moment they have my sister."

Ben shook his head,

"We have to think rationally here Carrie."

"Screw rational. They took my sister Ben!"

He reached out and held my shoulders again.

"I know. And we're going to get her back. But we can't do that if we aren't being strategic. I already have the best wolves in my pack working on finding out who these guys are. Megs will come home. But only if we're smart."

I looked up at him, processing as he watched me. Then, slowly, reluctantly, I nodded. A tired half-smile tugged at Ben's lips.

"Ready for some light reading?"

***********

My eyes felt saw, glazed over, blurring the tiny scripture.
We arrived at the library at 7 o clock, Ben had introduced me to Newt a gangly professor with glasses so thick the lenses looked like globes. He had brought out all the scriptures and readily translated ones written in ancient languages.

"Here!"

My head snapped up, I glanced at Ben, our eyes met, then we rushed to Newt. The gangly professor was leaning over a scripture so old, the pages had coloured yellow. It was in a language I didn't understand, but Newt readout so fast it may as well have been English.

"The Valderian, a warrior born every six years destined to find the stone cup."

I glanced at Ben, confused.

"I'm lost. What are we meant to bring them?"

Newt looked up at me. "Not what, who. A Valderian is a warrior, a werewolf destined to find the cup Brandos used."

I rubbed my temples, who the hell is Brandos?"

Newt rolled his froggy eyes.

"The first-ever werewolf king. He's long dead, but his cup still exists and it holds the power to make any warrior who drinks from it a thousand times stronger."

Ben nodded next to me, processing the information. "So the pack that has your sister, wants us to bring them the Valderian so that he can find the cup for them."

I nodded, my head throbbing.

"But what has this got to do with us? We have no idea who the Valderian is. It makes no sense."

Ben shook his head hopelessly and Newt turned back to the page.

"The Valderian is always connected to the Greyson pack and is destined for power within whatever pack the warrior lives."

I felt Ben freeze next to me and Newt and I looked up at him.
His face had paled and I watched as his distracted eyes met mine.

"I think I know who the Valderian is."